


Cold War

by matchasweettea



Series: Weapons of Mass Destruction [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, This might end up being a Lilanette fic, catching feelings for your worst enemy, hawkmoth is a little bitch, ill update the tags if it does, just a light dusting of salt over everything in this fic, learning to set aside your differences, learning we all have our own story, mild lila salt, post identity reveal, some slight class salt, this fic features
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:42:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24772579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matchasweettea/pseuds/matchasweettea
Summary: Marinette and Lila have been having the worst time ever since the reveal. Making each other miserable isn’t as fun as they thought it would be and they’ve been ignoring someone important.
Series: Weapons of Mass Destruction [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781593
Kudos: 63





	1. Arms Race

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was betad by BornOfFlame. Say “thank you, BornOfFlame”

The first couple of weeks after the reveal were  _ tense _ to say the least. For Lila, it was hell on Earth. For Marinette, it was like a mini vacation compared to all the bullshit she’d been putting up with. Now that she had something to hold over Lila’s head, it was like a totally different classroom. Anytime Lila opened her mouth to tell another lie Marinette just slung her arm over the girls shoulder and she clammed right up. The class was relieved that their two favorite people seemed to finally be friends.

The day after Lila had found out, Marinette had come up with a game plan. The first day of class Marinette had the seats switched around so she could sit with Lila to ‘help with her disabilities’ and ‘catch her up’ on all the things she’d missed during her travels to Achu with her mother. Mme. Bustier had been ecstatic that Marinette had finally stopped butting heads with the poor Italian and was finally acting like ‘all the Marinettes in the world’ again. Marinette had also convinced the principal and her teacher to let the class know about Lila’s lying disease, saying they wouldn’t have to worry about Lila losing friends because she’d help them understand Lila couldn’t help it. Damocles and Bustier believed her of course, thinking Marinette was such a nice girl to help Lila out like this. The class had taken the news in stride, following in Marinette’s footsteps by still treating Lila kindly but anytime she brought up a previous lie they would just smile indulgently and ask if her if an upcoming test was stressing her out and if they needed to get Marinette. No one was willing to deal with Lila’s stress induced lies too much, so they left it to Marinette to help her. After all, she was the class representative and she had been so kind to forgive Lila for getting her expelled because of said disease.

So from then on, Lila had been trapped in the front row with her worst nightmare. She hasn’t been able to contact Hawkmoth because every time she leaves her house it feels like she’s being watched and at school Marinette is constantly breathing down her neck. At first she thought she was just being paranoid but once she got fed up and went out to try and bait out her evil benefactor but she just happened to look up and caught a glimpse of what looked like a tiny, flying magenta tiger. It had made eye contact with her and said, ”no one will ever believe you,” before fading out of existence. After that, Lila gave up seeking out Hawkmoth and hoped instead he would come to her, but there hadn’t been any Akumas without her sowing the seeds of deceit within her fellow schoolmates and Chloé had been very quiet after the events of Miracle Queen. 

So Lila got fed up. She may not be able to out Marinette to the class since the damn bug had told everyone about her lying disease and they had believed her, but she could still use the thing to her advantage and make Marinette’s life miserable right back.

* * *

Marinette had been having a grand old time messing with Lila for three weeks, when her little mini vacation came to an end. She came to class one day expecting another day of holding Lila’s hand through class while the rest of the kids treated her like a martyr, but things were decidedly different. For one, instead of a resigned look on Lila’s face, there was a smirk.

“Oh thank god you’re here, Marinette,” Lila simpered loudly and threw herself against Marinette’s shoulder as soon as she had cautiously sat down next to her, “I need your help studying for tomorrow’s biology test! I would ask for my good friend, Jane Goodall’s help,” the class rolled their eyes behind her, “but she’s too busy.”

“Well I can print you out a copy of a study guide I made but I have plans with the class today,” Marinette smirked on the inside, if Lila thought she was going to get one over on her she had another think coming.

“But Marinette,” Lila whined, “without you quizzing me, I don’t think I’ll pass this test!” She made tears gather at the corners of her eyes, “I’m sure the class won’t mind you taking a rain check to help me, they’ve been so supportive of me and my disease after all.”

The class took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

“Of course we don’t mind, Marinette!” They replied, “If Lila needs help we’d be happy to reschedule our hangout plans!”

Point Lila.

Marinette felt a vein threaten to pop out on her forehead and gritted her teeth, “Okay Lila!” She gave in with a smile, “but the reason I was going to hangout with the class today was because the bakery is getting deep cleaned so we’ll have to study at your place. I would suggest the library but I know you’re easily distracted and I think your home will be a better place to avoid that.”

Point Marinette.

It was a tie.


	2. Armistice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette learns a little too much about Lila and they come to a decision on where to go from there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always this was betad by BornOfFlame   
> Also I checked the wrong box when I posted this so comments are now enabled sorry . I messed up

Marinette’s and Lila’s little battles went on for weeks without either making any headway. All they had succeeded in doing was making each other miserable by forcing themselves to spend more time together to make the other more miserable. Anytime Lila would pull Marinette away from her plans her nemesis would insist they actually study. All the studying was paying off for Lila but it was at the cost of her sanity. Marinette was keeping Lila away from Hawkmoth but it was costing her her free time that she had come to cherish. They had been doing this dance so long they spent every day together getting Lila’s grades up.

Marinette was starting to learn things too. It hadn’t taken her long to see that Lila’s mom was barely around and that her dad was nonexistent. Her mom hadn’t even noticed Marinette’s presence when she blew through the apartment changing clothes for some dinner meeting or another. She always kissed Lila’s cheek before she left but the gesture seemed empty to Marinette. There was none of the motherly affection Marinette had seen from her own mother’s cheek kisses. Lila always brushed it off and played up her mother's important high stress job as a diplomat but Marinette had found out early on in her research of Lila’s lies that her mother was actually the PR manager to a big Italian textile company that had recently opened a branch in Paris. The reason she was never around to spend time with Lila was the company’s new move had had a rocky start, with some papers being filed incorrectly. Lila’s mother had been spending all her time smoothing over the problems and trying to get things in order but it seemed like the companies new contract that had prompted the move and the new branch was a diva company. The owner asked for outrageous prices and other demands that needed to be met for him to consider honoring the contract that would help kickstart the textile companies first step into Paris fashion. What Lila didn’t know was that the company taking all her mom’s time away from her was none other than Gabriel Agreste’s.

It didn’t take long for Marinette to pity Lila after learning about her home life. She couldn’t imagine not having her parents love and affection. She had long since stopped being petty towards Lila and was acting genuinely nice to her, bringing cookies to their study sessions and offering to have her over for dinner so she could have a home cooked meal. Marinette still didn’t trust Lila, but she did feel sorry for her.

* * *

  
  
  


Lila wasn’t stupid. She knew Marinette had stopped hating her and had started feeling something  _ much _ worse about her. If there was one thing Lila hated it was having people pity her. Sure it was okay if it was because of one of her lies. Then they pitied her because she made them. This was different. Marinette was feeling sorry for the real Lila, not the mask she’d expertly crafted to hide behind. She knew if she didn’t do something fast Marinette might try and ‘fix things.’ 

There was no way Marinette could fix something that had been going on all of Lila’s life. Ever since her father had left their family, her mom had thrown herself into her work, spending more and more time away from Lila. Then they moved to Paris and Lila knew her mother would be spending even less time with her, so she’d decided to become a new person. Someone people would adore and want to hang out with. Then hopefully she wouldn’t feel so lonely when she went home. But Marinette ruined that and if Lila didn’t do something she’d ruin her home life too. She didn’t need anyone’s pity and she didn’t need her mom spending time with her out of guilt either. She certainly didn’t need Ladybug and her stupid little lovey dovey family pretending to care about her either.

* * *

  
  


It was during a study session at Marinette’s that Lila called a truce. 

“Look,” Lila broke the silence, startling Marinette out of her mind space, “you win. I’ll stop lying if you stop making me hang out with you and your dumb family.”

Marinette bristled, “What’s so dumb about my family?! We’re just feeding you and you’re the one that forced me to constantly help you study!”

“Whatever, Bug,” Lila scoffed, “we both hate each other so if you leave me alone I’ll leave you alone. And I won’t speak to Hawkmoth anymore. Do we have a deal?” She held her hand out across the table to shake.

Marinette stared at her hand for a moment before shaking her head, “no I’ve got a better idea.”

Lila groaned, “What could possibly be better than ignoring each other's existence?”

“I want you to spy on Hawkmoth for me,” before Lila could interrupt her, Marinette held up her hand, “think about it. If you help me take down Hawkmoth I’ll stop having you followed and Ladybug won’t be needed anymore so you won’t have to see her around. Also if you help me I’ll tell the cops you were a double agent so when Hawkmoth tries to take you down with him, you won’t go to jail. Do we have a deal?” Marinette held her hand up next to Lila’s and waited to see if she’d close the distance and shake on it. 

“If this will get you out of my hair and keep me out of jail… we have a deal,” Lila took Marinette’s hand firmly in hers and shook it, ignoring the tiny thrill that went up her spine. Maybe she could be a double agent for Hawkmoth instead.

* * *

  
  


It had been a month since Hawkmoth’s little Akuma machine had done her job, and he was starting to get impatient. He had noticed she was spending more time with their main target and assumed she was just trying to break her spirits down enough for an akumatization. It didn’t matter much though, his own work was about to pay off.

After months of breaking down Gina Rossi, his obstinate attitude had finally worked and Mlle. Rossi was about to accept her Akuma.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah this chapter is a little short what can you do? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
